Farming brothers’ cattle dominate Bishops Castle prize sale
Cattle owned by brothers Mike and Phil Wood won all but two of the eight prizes on offer at a highly successful sale of suckled calves and weanlings at Bishops Castle Auction yesterday.
Auctioneers Halls reported an excellent entry of 325 cattle for the prize sale, sponsored by the British Limousin Society, which included classes for the best bunch of four or more steers and heifers sired by a registered Limousin bull.
The judge was Ben Attewell of Monmouth, who awarded the overall champion and first prize for steers to J. A. Wood & Sons, Kinnerton for 300 kilo steers which sold for £1,160. Reserve champion and first prize for heifers went to M. & A. Powell, Drefor with 285 kilo heifers which sold for £1,095.
The remaining prizes went to J. A. Wood & Sons: Steers: 2, 345 kilo steers for £1,180; 3, 270 kilo steers for £1,040. Heifers: 2, 340 kilo heifers for £1,100; 3, 335 kilo heifers for £1,1045.
Auctioneer James Evans, a director of Halls, congratulated the Wood family and thanked Mr Attewell, British Limousin Society representatives Rob and Michael Kirton and all other the competitors.
“The sale was very well attended with a sale ring packed with buyers from near and far, which helped the trade to compare very favourably with the October sale of weanlings,” said Mr Evans.
Overall, steers averaged 295p per kilo and £1,000 per head to a high of 393p per kilo for a 305 kilo British Blue from J. A. Wood & Sons, Kinnerton and £1,375 for both a 390 kilo British Blue from Messrs Fernyhough & Fernyhough, Aberbechan and a Limousin from S. E. Goodall & E. W. Tuffin of Lodge Farm.
Heifers averaged 298p per kilo and £965 per head to a maximum of 479.6p per kilo for a 270 kilo Limousin from M. & A. Powell and £1,500 for a pedigree 380 kilo Limousin from J. S. & B. M. Vance, Minsterley.
A good entry of feeding bulls averaged 293p per kilo and £1,158 per head with an excellent run from Aston Hall Farms leading the field with prices from £1,570 to £1,100.
Leading steer prices were: British Blue cross: £1,375 per head for Messrs Fernyhough & Fernyhough, Aberbechan and 305p per kilo for Messrs J. A. Wood & Sons. Aberdeen Angus cross: £965 per head for Messrs S. E. Goodall & E. W. Tuffin, Lodge Farm and 247.50p per kilo for Messrs J. A. Wood & Sons. Saler: £620 per head and 220.60p per kilo for Messrs J. M. Clee & Son, Dolycwm Frwydd. Charolais cross: £1,185 per head for Messrs M. P. & M. R. Jones, Trelerney and 266.00p per kilo for Messrs W. T. Davies, Ty Gwyn. Limousin cross: £1,375 per head for Messrs Fernyhough & Fernyhough and 386.70p per kilo for Messrs J. A. Wood & Sons.
Leading heifer prices: British Blue cross: £1,045 per head and 325.50p per kilo for Messrs J. A. Wood & Sons. Saler: £605 per head and 232.70p per kilo for Messrs J. M. Clee & Son. Charolais cross: £1,380 per head and 329.00p per kilo for Messrs Bowen & Bowen, Penthryn. Limousin cross: £1,500 per head and 479.60p per kilo for Messrs M. & A. Powell.
Bishops Castle Auction is holding a sale of store lambs on December 6 and a store cattle sale on December 14, with entries closing at noon on December 7.
